Folding door assembly and mounting units therefor



C. A. KIRBY Feb. 8, 1966 FOLDING DOOR ASSEMBLY AND MOUNTING UNITSTHEREFOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 30, 1962 E Charles Kir'by INVENTOR.

Feb. 8, 1966 4 c. A. KIRBY 3,233,657

FOLDING DOOR ASSEMBLY AND MOUNTING UNITS THEREFOR Filed July 30, 1962 2Sheets-Sheet 2 I l 1m: 3 "fl I CharlesHKirby INVENTOR.

BY w

United States Patent f) 3,233,657 FOLDING DOOR ASSEMBLY AND MOUNTINGUNITS THEREFOR Charles A. Kirby, Tacoma, Wash., assignor t AlliedBuilding Components Inc., Tacoma, Wash, a corporation of Washington rFiled July 30, 1962, Ser. No. 213,173 3 Claims. (Cl. 160-206) Thisinvention relates to folding door assemblies of the class comprising aplurality of verticallyarranged panels hinged together and pivotallysupported in a door- Way, and to mounting units therefor.

It is the general object of this invention to provide a folding doorassembly which is fast and easy to install; which is adjustable in bothhorizontal and vertical directions without demounting, initially andduring use; which operates smoothly, easily and quietly; and which isremovable at will, either partially or entirely, from the doorway at anytime without disassembly.

It is a further object of the invention to provide mounting units forsuch a folding door assembly, which mounting units are easily installed,concealed and readily accessible for adjustment when required.

The manner in which the foregoing and other objects of the presentinvention are accomplished will be apparent from the accompanyingspecification and claims considered together with the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary view, partly in section, illustrating the hereindescribed folding door assembly and the manner of mounting it in a dooropening;

FIG. 2 is a detail view in elevation, partly in section, taken alongline 22 of FIG. 1, illustrating in detail a first embodiment of atraveling upper mounting unit of the herein described folding doorassembly;

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of the mounting unit of FIG. 2, lookingupwardly in the direction of the arrows of line 3-3;

FIG. 4 is a detail longitudinal sectional view taken along line 44 ofFIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a detail view in elevation, partly in section, illustrating asecond embodiment of the traveling upper mounting unit;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the mounting unit of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a bottom plan view thereof; and

FIG. 8 is an elevational view, partly in section, showing the embodimentof FIG. 5 mounted in a door.

The folding door assembly of my invention is adapted to be mountedin adoorway comprising a side jamb 10 and a headpiece 12 located over afloor 13. A track, indicated generally at 14, is fastened to the headpiece longitudinally thereof.

Although the track may assume a diversity of configurations, dependingupon the door guiding means employed, it is illustrated herein in thecross sectional form indicated in FIG. 2 and including a base 16, a pairof side walls 18 and a pair of track shoulders or ribs 20 projectinginwardly toward each other one from each of the side Walls. These do notsupport the door, but shield the guiding assembly thereof from scrapingagainst the heads of screws by which the track is fastened to theheadpiece.

The door itself comprises a plurality of vertically arranged panels,there being two such panels indicated at 22, 24 in the presentlydescribed embodiment. The inner panel 24, i.e. the panel next to jambit), is provided with an upper recess 26 opening out into its inner topsurface, and. a substantially aligned lower recess Ztl opening into itsinner bottom surface. Outer panel 22, i.e. the panel farthest removedfrom jamb 19, is hinged edge to edge in folding relationship to innerpanel 24 by suitable higne means such as pin hinges 30. It is providedwith a recess 32 opening out into its outer top surface.

Recesses Z6, 28 and 32 afford means for securing to the door assembly astationary upper mounting unit, a stationary lower mounting unit, and atraveling upper mounting unit respectively. These are described below inthe indicated order.

The stationary upper mounting unit The stationary upper mounting unitreceived in recess 26 operates in conjunction with suitable socket meanswhich, in the illustrated form of the invention, comprise a conventionalhorizontally adjustable socket unit 34. This unit is wedged into theangle between jamb It and head piece 12, being retained there by screw35. Socket unit 34 has side grooves 33 which receive the ribs 20 of thetrack 14 and is further securely anchored in place by such ribs.

Unit 3 houses a rotatably mounted worm 36 sized to accommodate a pivotpin in the space between its convolutions. An adjusting screw 38 isfixed to the outer end of the worm, with the result that horizontaladjustment of the socket is made possible by rotation of this screw, aswill be more apparent hereinafter.

Cooperating with adjustable socket 334 is a stepped pivot pin 4%, thestepped edge of which is indicated at 42. The outer end 44 of the pin isdimensioned, as explained above, to .be received between theconvolutions of worm 36, the lower surface of the socket being open orsuitably slotted to receive such end 44 of the pin. An annular flange 46is fixed to the pin or formed integrally therewith adjacent outer end44. The outer surface of this flange serves as a thrust bearing, beingin sliding engagement with the outer surface of the housing of socketelement 34.

Pivot pin 40 is slidably received in a sleeve 50 having a longitudinalbore therethrough formed with an annular interior shoulder 52.

This sleeve is made of metal or a tough durable plastic such as nylon,Teflon or other well known plastic. It is formed with longitudinalfiuting S4 dimensioned for a press fit Within recess 26. Also, it isformed with an annular flange 5&5 at its upper end, which overlies andseals off the opening of recess 26.

The inner end of pivot pin 40 is formed with a rivet head 58. This actsas a stop, limiting the outward travel of the pin.

Resilient means are provided for continuously urging the pivot pin toits extended position, thereby insuring retaining it in pivotingrelation to socket unit 34. In the illustrated form of the invention,the resilient means em ployed comprises a compression spring 68encircling the reduced portion of pivot pin 40 and interposed betweenshoulder 42 on the pin and shoulder 52 on the sleeve. The spring thuslimits the inward travel of the pin.

The stationary lower mounting unit This unit is mounted in recess 28 inthe inner bottom surface of door panel24. It cooperates with a socketassembly indicated generally at 62 and corresponding in function andmanner of operation to socket assembly 34 associated with the stationaryupper mounting unit.

Thus it is wedged into the angle present between jamb 1% and floor 13,being secured by upper screws 64 and lower screws 66. It contains arotatably mounted worm 62, the space between the whorls of which isadapted to receive the end of a pivot pin. A screw 69 is fixed to theworm, thus affording a means of horizontal adjustment of the socket.

The pivot pin cooperating with socket unit 62, indicated generally at79, is provided with a slotted lower end '72, an integral adjustment nut'76., and a threaded shank segment 76. Thrust bearing means such as theself-lubricating plastic washer 73 preferably is interposed between nut7 and the upper bearing surface of socket unit 62.

The threaded shank section '76 of the pivot pin is threaded into thelongitudinal bore of a sleeve or insert 81). This member preferably alsois formed integrally of one piece of plastic material and is providedwith longitudinal fiuting 32 dimensioned to provide a press fit againstthe side walls of recess 28. it is provided with an annular flange 84which covers and seals off the opening of recess 28.

The traveling upper mounting unit This unit is housed in recess 32 inthe top surface of outer panel 22. It guides the leading edge of thepanel, cooperating with track 14. A first embodiment of the uppermounting unit is illustrated in detail in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4.

As in the case of the stationary upper mounting unit, the travelingupper mounting unit of FIG. 2 includes a stepped pivot pin 99, the stepof which is shown at 91 in FIG. 4. The upper end of the pivot pincarries a rotatably mounted horizontal guide wheel 92 made ofself-lubricating plastic or other suitable material. This wheel trackson the side walls 18 of track 14- and is prevented by shoulders 26 fromcontacting the heads of the screws mounting the track.

The wheel unit preferably includes a downwardly extending neck 94.Directly below neck 94 and fixed to, or formed integrally with, pin 90,is a nut '96 spaced from the underside of guide wheel 92.

Pivot pin 9% is slidably received in a sleeve 1th) having a steppedlongitudinal bore, the step of which is indicated at 104 in FIG. 4. Itsexterior surface preferably is provided with spaced longitudinalflutings 106 dimensioned for .a friction fit within recess 32, therebylocating the sleeve.

At the upper end of sleeve 1% there is an integral annular flange 1%which covers and seals otf recess 32. At the lower end of the sleevethere is a recess 11%) which opens out into recess 32 in which the unitis mounted.

Adjustable stop means are provided for adjusting the extent of outwardupper extension of pin 9d. Such means comprise a nut 112 threaded ontothe terminal segment 114 of the pin. Nut 112 is received in recess 110and preferably the recess corresponds in shape to the shape of the nutto lock it against rotation when thus received.

Resilient means preferably are present for maintaining pin 99 normallyin its extended position, with nut 112 firmly seated in recess 11d.

As shown in FIG. 4, the resilient means preferably comprises acompression spring 116, coiled about the reduced segment of pin 90 andbearing against shoulder 91 of the latter and shoulder 194 of sleeverec. Inward travel of the pin thus is restricted by the presence of thespring itself. Operation The operation of the herein described foldingdoor assembly, and the individual mounting units thereof thus fardescribed, is as follows:

First, track 14 is located on head piece 12, upper socket 34 in theangle between head piece 12 and jamb 1t), and

4 lower socket unit 62 in the angle between jarnb 10 and floor 13.

The assembly including pivot pin 46 then is pressed into recess 26; thatincluding pivot pin 70, into recess 28; and that including pivot pin 90,into recess 32; using in each case fluted sleeves 5t], 8t) and 109,respectively, to locate and secure the pivot pin assemblies within therecesses.

The door panels are elevated, guide Wheel 92 placed in track 14 andpivot pin segment 44 placed in the selected convolution of the wormcontained in socket unit 34. Upward pressure then will elevate the dooragainst the resilient force of spring of; in pivot pin unit and ofspring 116 in pivot pin unit 9%), sufficiently that the pivoting end 72of pivot pin can be inserted in the selected convolution of worm 68contained in socket unit 62. The door thus may be mounted quickly and,by reversing the above sequence, demounted easily whenever desired.

I11 the event that either horizontal or vertical adjustment is requiredto mount the door assembly in the first instance, or to compensate fordeveloped irregularities in the doorway through structure settling,occuring during the service life of the door, various adjustments can bemade.

Thus, vertical adujstment may be made in the first instance by screwingpivot pin '70 into threaded sleeve 8%) using slotted head 72. During useof the door, the same vertical adjustment may be made by adjustment ofnut 74 with a suitably sized wrench.

Similarly, vertical adjustment of the traveling end of the door may beaccomplished by adjustment of nut 96 on pin so. This is made possible bythe fact that adjustment nut 112 is anchored in recess by the resilientforce of spring 116, locking the pin against rotation.

Suitable horizontal adjustment also may be made, either in the firstinstance or as a running adjustment during use of the door. This isaccomplished merely by adjusting one or the other, or both, of screws38, 69 associated with worms 36, 68, respectively, of the socket unitsin which the upper and lower stationary pivot pins are mounted.

FIGS. 5-8 illustrate a second embodiment of the traveling upper mountingunit. In this embodiment, there is employed a sleeve 120 having anenlarged upper socket portion 122. This unit is adapted to be mounted ina recess 32a in the top surface of panel 22 and such recess has acounterbored portion 32b for receiving the enlarged socket portion 122.The sleeve 120 has a top flange 124 adapted to seat on the top edge ofthe panel 22 and has longitudinal flutings 125 dimensioned for afriction fit within recess 32a.

As best apparent in FIG. 5, sleeve 120 has a bottom bore 126 and acounterbored portion 128, a shoulder 13% being formed between these boreportions. Slidably received in the sleeve 120 is a pin 132 having alower shank portion 134 which is reduced in diameter to form an uppershoulder portion 136. Mounted on the pin 132 and confined between theupper shoulder 136 of the pin and the lower shoulder in the sleeve is acompression spring 133 urging the pin 132 to an upper or outwardlyextended limit position, FIG. 5. The bottom end of the pin has a rivethead 1459 which limits outward movement of the pin.

Carried on the outer or upper end of the pin 132 between a lower flange142 and a top rivet head or swaged portion 144 is a guide wheel 1%which, similar to the wheel 92 of the FIG. 2 embodiment, is adapted forengagement in track 14.

In this latter embodiment, the wheel 146 is adapted to be depressed intothe socket portion 122 for moving this end of the door into and out ofengagement with the track 14. Since the wheel is movable to a planebelow the top edge of the door, it is apparent that only a smallclearance between the top of the door and the track is necessary, i.e.,a clearance only a little greater than the thickness of flange 124.Thus, in installing or removing ass s-v the door, or for disconnectingthe traveling end of the door for cleaning or the like, the pin 132 andWheel 146 are depressed so that the latter will clear the bottom edge ofthe track.

Thus it is apparent that by the present invention, I have provided afolding door assembly, and mounting units therefor, which are easilymounted in doorways of diverse shapes and sizes, which are fast and easyto install, and which enable easy running adjustment, both horizontaland vertical, of the door without demounting the same.

Furthermore, the mounting units are almost completely concealed andoperate to make possible removing and reinstalling of the door Wheneverdesired, as when cleaning the area closed off by the door, laying carpetunderneath the door, etc.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herein shown anddescribed is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and thatvarious changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may beresorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention or thescope of the ubjoined claims.

Having thus described by invention, 1 claim:

ll. For use with track means in an upper mounting unit at a doorwayheader for the upper end of an outer door panel of a folding assembly, atraveling upper mounting unit comprising:

(a) a stepped pivot pin having an outer end,

(b) a sleeve adapted for frictional retention in a recress in the doorpanel extending downward from the upper end of the latter inward of theouter vertical edge thereof and freely receiving the pivot pintherethrou-gh for atrial rotation and longitudinal sliding movement,

(0) the sleeve having an inner shoulder spaced from and facing the stepof the pivot pin,

(d) an adjustable stop nut threaded onto the inner end of the and seatedagainst rotation in a recess in the inner end of the sleeve, and an-adjusting nut fixed to the exposed outer end portion of the pin forrotating the latter relative to the stop nut for adjusting the pinvertically relative to the sleeve and door panel,

(e) resilient means positioned between the sleeve shoulder and pivot pinstep for urging the pivot pin to its irnit of movement in the directionof its outer end, and

(f) door guide means pivoted to the outer end of the pin and adapted fortraveling engagement with the track means.

2. The traveling upper mounting unit of claim 1, wherein the door guidemeans comprises a wheel rotatable on a vertical axis, and the unitincludes an enlarged upper socket portion on said sleeve adapted to bemounted in a door panel recess below the top surface of the door panel,the socket portion being dimensioned and arranged to receive the wheeltherein at the limit of inward movement of the pivot pin against theresistance of the resilient means.

3. A folding door assembly adapted for mounting in a doorway defined bya head piece, a side jamb and a floor, said assembly comprising:

(a) :a track adapted to be fastened longitudinally to the head piece;

(b) a plurality of vertically hinged together door panels arranged infolding relation to each other;

(c) a stationary upper mounting unit including (1) first pivot meansmounted on the top surface of the innermost door panel and including (a)a stepped pivot pin having an outer end,

(b) a sleeve adapted for frictional retention in a recess in theinnermost door panel extending downward from the upper end of the latterinward of the inner vertical edge thereof and freely receiving the pivotpin 6 therethrough for longitudinal. sliding movcment,

(c) the sleeve having an interior shoulder spaced from and facing thestep of the pivot p (d) stop means on the inner end of the pivot pin forengagement with the sleeve, thereby limiting movement of the pivot pinin the direction of its outer end, and

(e) resilient means positioned between the sleeve shoulder and pivot pinstep for urging the pivot pin to its limit of movement in the directionof its out-er end,

(2) first socket means mounted on the head piece above the first pivotmeans and including (a) a base member having an elongated guide slottherein adapted to freely receive therein the outer end of the pivot pinof the first pivot means, the guide slot being arranged substantiallyparallel to the plane of the doorway, and

(b) a Worm mounted for rotation in the base member on an axis parallelto the guide slot and communicating with the latter and receiving theouter end of the pivot pin pivotally between adjacent ones of itsconvolutions, whereby adjustable rotation of the Worm effects movementof the pivot pin along the guide slot;

(d) a stationary lower mounting unit including (1) second pivot meansmounted on the bottom surface of the inermost panel, substantiallyaligned with the first pivot means,

(2) second socket means mounted on the floor below the second pivotmeans and including (a) a base member having an elongated guide slottherein adapted to freely receive the second pivot means therein, theguide slot being arranged substantially parallel to the plane of thedoorway, and

(b) a Worm mounted for rotation in the base member on an axis parallelto the guide slot and communicating with the latter and receiving thesecond pivot means pivotally between adjacent ones of its convolutions,whereby adjustable rotation of the worm effects movement of the pivotmeans along the guide slot; and

(e) a traveling upper mounting unit including (1) a stepped pivot pinhaving an outer end,

(2) a sleeve adapted for frictional retention in a recess in the outerdoor panel extending downward from the upper end of the latter inward ofthe outer vertical edge thereof and freely receivin the pivot pintherethrough for longidinal sliding movement,

(3) the sleeve having an interior shoulder spaced from and facing thestep of the pivot pin,

(4) an adjustable stop nut threaded onto the inner end of the pin andseated against rotation in a recess in the inner end of the sleeve, andan adjusting nut fixed to the exposed outer end portion of the pin forrotating the latter relative to the stop nut for adjusting the pinvertically realtive to the sleeve and door panel,

(5) resilient means positioned between the sleeve shoulder and pivot pinstep for urging the pivot pin to its limit of movement in the directionof its outer end, and

(6) door guide means pivoted to the outer end of the pivot pin forrolling engagem t i h the track.

(References on following page) Refez'ences flied by the Examiner UNITEDSTATES ?ATENTS Fairhurst 16-43 Jarvis et a1 16 44 Johnson 74-14Youngblocd W 268-14 Wood et a1. 160-199 Chris 16-90 Graig 160-296 10Uliman 26-16 Roche 16-43 H011answorth 160-206 Brydolf 160-206 Nelson16-176 Dickinson et a1. -1"- 160-206 HARRISON R. MOSELEY, PrimaryExaminer.

NORTON ANSHER, CHARLES E. OCONNELL,

Examiners.

1. FOR USE WITH TRACK MEANS IN AN UPPER MOUNTING UNIT AT A DOORWAYHEADER FOR THE UPPER END OF AN OUTER DOOR PANEL OF A FOLDING ASSEMBLY, ATRAVELING UPPER MOUNTING UNIT COMPRISING: (A) A STEPPED PIVOT PIN HAVINGAN OUTER END, (B) A SLEEVE ADAPTED FOR FRICTIONAL RETENTION IN A RECRESSIN THE DOOR PANEL EXTENDING DOWNWARD FROM THE UPPER END OF THE LATTERINWARD OF THE OUTER VERTICAL EDGE THEREOF AND FREELY RECEIVING THE PIVOTPIN THERETHROUGH FOR AXIAL ROTATION AND LONGITUDINAL SLIDING MOVEMENT,(C) THE SLEEVE HAVING AN INNER SHOULDER SPACED FROM AND FACING THE STEPOF THE PIVOT PIN, (D) AN ADJUSTABLE STOP NUT THREADED ONTO THE INNER ENDOF THE PIN AND SEATED AGAINST ROTATION IN A RECESS IN THE INNER END OFTHE SLEEVE, AND AN ADJUSTING NUT FIXED TO THE EXPOSED OUTER END PORTIONOF THE PIN FOR ROTATING THE LATTER RELATIVE TO THE STOP NUT FORADJUSTING THE PIN VERTICALLY RELATIVE TO THE SLEEVE AND DOOR PANEL, (E)RESILIENT MEANS POSITIONED BETWEEN THE SLEEVE SHOULDER AND PIVOT PINSTEP FOR URGING THE PIVOT PIN TO ITS LIMIT OF MOVEMENT IN THE DIRECTIONOF ITS OUTER END, AND (F) DOOR GUIDE MEANS PIVOTED TO THE OUTER END OFTHE PIN AND ADAPTED FOR TRAVELING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE TRACK MEANS.